Like Yesterday
by aznImperfection
Summary: AU. SasuSaku. Because at the age of seven, the future seemed so far away.
1. Prologue

**standard disclaimer applies.**

******note:** This one is going to be finished, no matter what happens.**  
**

.

.

.

.

**Prologue**

They were seven.  
She hated being teased.  
He could care less.

.

.

_She was fragile like luminous glass._

_One word,_

_one hit,_

_and it's over:__  
__she cries._

.

.

He stands there not knowing what to do.  
She just stands there head hung low,  
taking in the cursed words.

.

.

_It's as if no one cares.__  
__And it won't stop._  
_No one can save her._

.

.

They wait for something, anything.  
But nothing thus they walk away.

.

When she knows it's over,  
she lets go and runs.

.

.

_She's moving,_

_faster,_

_faste_**_r_**_,_

.

.

Gone.

.

.

"Here."

Her head goes up and her eyes met his.

"Take it."

And she does. The tears are wiped away with a handkerchief.

.

.

.

They never met each other formally. It was only casual playing with other children at the park. They didn't know each others' name or what school the other one went to. All that they knew of was that the other would be there to play games by the monkey bars or swing on the wings like there was no end to their time together.

As if, it was _endless._

Because at the age of seven,  
the future seemed s_o far away_.

.

.

There was a long silence. She sniffed too many times.

"It's pretty—"

She looks up.

"What?"

.

.

_It was going to be her first compliment.__  
__And as time went on,_  
_no one would be able to compete with it in her book._

.

.

"—your forehead."

More silence.

.

And for the first time,

Haruno Sakura giggled.

"Arigatou."

.

.

.

Time passes. They meet when their mothers' decided to bring them to the park on the same day. For hours on at a time she'll giggle and he'd simple just stare at her at amazement. He was young and so was she, but that didn't stop him from realizing something she'd never.

.

.

"What?" she asks, head cocked to the side,  
face holding an expression of curiosity and wonder.

And he'll stare.

.

.

_Days like these, were ones__  
__that etch into his mind_  
_till no end of._

.

.

They stare at each other waiting.  
Until one of them cracks,  
and that would always be her.

"_Sasuke-kun."_

.

Bam.

"I—"

He'll stutter and falter,  
words won't form as he stares.

.

"Nothing. You're annoying."

.

.

.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke had realized something at a young age that takes many other people ages to. And the girl before him would be like those, who were oblivious and take forever to figure it out. He'd swing on the swings with her and tell her about his day. She would drag him along to do things that he'd rather not but never hear complaints from him otherwise. They would simple just be together like best friends tend to be.

.

.

"NE?"

No response.

"Baka no Sasuke!"

.

She runs to the slide,  
he fallows after her like he's done so many times.

"Sakura!"

He had indeed know something,  
she could probably never understand.

It was the emotion in every feature,

Her eyes,

Her smile,

The way it would radiate around her.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke knew,

.

.

"Sumimasen!"

—Haruno Sakura, was beautiful even if she didn't try.

.

.

.

Time would pass, like it always does. There would be days he'd arrive and she wouldn't, vice versa. There would be days it'd rain and neither could leave the house, days where it was so hot that they had to go under a tree for the longest time, and days where they would argue with one another. All the days would end the same, long or a short farewell with a 'till next time came beside it.

The other side would never admit it up front but, they were waiting for the next meeting. When the next meeting came, she'd run to him with the same smile plastered on her face and he'd wave at her shyly for his mother would be beside him greeting her. Thing changed on a daily bases, the weather, topics, games, and personalities along with appearances; but most of these things went unnoticed between the two for the most part.

And like many things, the thought of never seeing each other crossed their minds. It wasn't because they were too young or too naïve no, it was none of these for this pair. They were simply too caught up in their own world to even realize that one thing could simply make it all_vanish._

.

.

"But, Father—"

"Sasuke."

The younger boy went silent.

"What are you waiting for? Go."

He bowed his head down and  
moved from his kneeling position.

And left the room,  
with only one destination in mind.

.

.

_He loves tomatoes.__  
__He loves literature._  
_He loves few things,_

.

.

His feet hit the wooden floors,

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

His mind runs to the girl,  
who stands out in a crowd like a sore thumb.

Uchiha Sasuke knocks.

.

.

—_And hates a lot of things.__  
__Like when people don't earn what they get._  
_Like when girls scream in excitement._

.

.

The door opens, "Sasuke? What—"

He steps inside without a word.

"—brings you here?"

.

"_See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun!"_

.

Fists are formed and a jaw clinches.

"Are you alright?"

Before they could ask him again,

"I hate you."

Daggers are shot. Eyes widen.

And one walks away,  
leaving the other standing shocked.

.

.

_But most importantly,_

_He hates being compared to Uchiha Itachi._

.

.

.

…**Time Passes**…

She goes whenever she's free,  
hoping that just once  
her prince would arrive,

Just like _old times._

.

.

She sits on the swings,  
the wind blows her hair.

"Sakura, it's time to go."

.

.

_Sasuke-kun…_

.

.

And her head goes down.

"Sakura."

She makes no attempt to move.

.

.

_Sasuke-kun…_

.

.

_Memories with words and actions,__  
__they pass over her eyes._  
_And she shuts them—_

.

"It's time to go home."

.

.

—_tight. To forget and__  
__most importantly,_  
let go.

.

.

Her eyes open  
and her head moves upward.

With a smile plastered onto her face,  
Haruno Sakura replies:

"Hai."

.

.

.

_...to be continued..._

.

.

-awakard wave- Haii guys! Do you remember me? hehe...

Anyways! I do plan on actually finishing this but do bare with me because high school has become very hectic over the pass year and probably will be even worse next year. I did intend to finish or rather, rewrite a few of my old fanfictions but never had the time due to my classes. So, I do plan on doing as much as possible now that the year is coming to the end and summer is near. (: So, I promise you all I will be back for **good** but my updates will take time... hahaha.

[original post: 4/20/12; update: 5/29/12]


	2. I

Count with me,

one, two, and—

No.

.

.

_Stop. You're not ready, __  
__just not yet._

.

.

"Gambatte, Sakura!"  
She's prepared:

Studying, sleeping, and prepping.

.

.

_But is she sure?_

.

.

One nod, one smile—  
"My little boy's growing up!"

—and one mother's cry.

.

.

_He just has to be,_

_Ready, prepared__  
__and sure, that is._

.

.

"You're embarrassing him, okaa-san."

He'll blush while she—

.

"Arigato, 'kaa-san! I'm off!"

—smiles; but together they'll—

.

—wave goodbye.

.

.

She skips down the street.  
He enters the luxurious car.  
They hold one destination in common:

.

.

Konoha Academy.

.

.

.

**. like yesterday**

**chapter one**

At first, no one believed it. They thought, "_It must've been a fluke—a joke, perhaps_." Who could believe she of all people could've gotten into Konoha Academy? Her mother? Her father? Of course, without a doubt her parents had not once question the results of the entrance exams' scores. Even then, if the results were in bold print; how could a commoner such as Haruno Sakura afford the school?

Simple:

as a scholarship student.

And with that she'd prove them wrong. That it was no fluke and that no matter how much of a commoner she maybe, she **will** be worth it.

.

_because _**she **just _has _**to**.

.

.

He's an Uchiha and that meant everything.

It wasn't just a last name—no, of course not, it was everything that came with it. It was greatness that was expected after your birth. Things like brilliance, leadership, strength, power, but most importantly: to never let _anything_or _anyone_rule over thyself; emotions and all. And with all of this, one will be given high regards and respect. An Uchiha is to be feared and to be envied by all.

Like many before him, he was raised like any young male child of the Uchiha Clan. By the ideals that were set many years ago by the founders of the clan and nothing else.

.

_because _**no **one _could _**defy **tradition**.**

.

.

The car comes to a halt,

"Boochama, tsukimasta."  
His head turns towards the window.

.

.

_First days?_

Pointless.

.

.

The door opens,  
"Chizu."

And he bows as the young master  
steps out of the car.

.

.

"Have a nice day, boochama."

"Hn."

.

.

Her eyes are wandering,  
searching for her name,  
under the first year's section.

.

.

_The noises: __  
__squeals of joy,_

_laughter of others,_

_& voices filled with life._

_They all muffle, __  
__they all sound the same._

.

.

Haruno, Sakura.

Her eyes reach to the top of the list:

**Class 1-A****  
**smiling, she turns.

.

.

_Bam!_

.

.

"Oh, goodness—"

"—Gomen!"

"It's not your—"

"I should've watched where—"

They smile at each other and apologize.

.

.

"I'm Tenten; it's nice to meet you!"

They shake hands.

"Watashi wa Haruno Sakura!"

.

And thus it begins,  
a new friendship arise.

.

.

.

.

The faces, the uniforms, the classrooms, the hall ways, the building, the words that escape others lips—all the same. The gossip may change; the fights may be between different people but it was all similar in some way to the last.

But what was the worst part of illusion  
of things never changing?

Was it that things would become boring?

Was it that one could get tired of the meals?

Was it that—

.

No. Just stop. It could never be any of these things. It was simple really:

.

Everyone knew each other.

Do you get it now? Everyone knew who was who. Everyone knew your life story somehow. You think you'd have some privacy at such an elite and magnificent school, but you'd be wrong. _Oh, how wrong you'd be_. They'd know what would be going on with your family's achievements or downfalls, or who you'd be dating and so on. And wouldn't you want to get away from it all?

.

Maybe so but,  
once you're in,  
Konoha Academy…

There is no escape really. Someone is going to figure something out.

.

.

Someone always does.

.

.

.

.

No one could deny it; Uzumaki Naruto knew how to run.

His fast paced footsteps are deafening. He nods to the females who know him and says hello to his male acquaintances as he runs down the hallways. His lungs contract over and over again as he turns the corner and goes straight down. As he picks up speed, he can hear the slight breeze he is creating in his ears.

He is not out of breathe, he could never be. His blonde hair doesn't move out of place for it is styled to his liking. He breaks no sweat in this process of searching.

For he's determined to find someone,

"Hey!" Someone yells.

He turns his head to look at the girl he's bumped shoulders with, "—Sorry, Kaoru! I need to find—"

_…Bam!_

It happens.

.

.

His so called search is over, done, complete.

"Naruto?"

Naruto yells out there names at the sight of three rather than just one. "Neji, Kiba, Gaara!"

Gaara rolls his eyes. "The bell hasn't rang yet and you're being so irritating." The blonde immediately frowns but it fades quickly and is replaced with his usual smile.

He has information that must be known. "Guys you'll never believe what happened—"

"Wait is it something stupid?"

"Obviously, it's Naruto aft—"

"HEY! WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSE TO—"

"Keep it down will you, we're indoors."

"Well?"

"You know we're blocking the hall way."

"True. It's your entire fault, Kiba."

"Hell it is. What makes—"

"KAMI, I FOUND MY DREAM GIRL!"

.

.

Silence.

.

.

And all the group of three stands with expressions that one could not read even if they were there to witness such an event. The blonde before them waits in anticipation for an answer for either one of them.

After what seems like ages the blonde speaks.

"Well?"

.

.

The three blink and begin to walk pass the blonde as if he was never there. Uzumaki Naruto's friends were cruel but then again so was he. They rarely meant majority of the things they did to one another or to anyone for that matter. Thus, the blonde glares at the back of the group of three's heads before turning his heals and proceeding to follow.

"Assholes…" He mumbles.

They hear him of course, for his whispers and mumbles aren't quite hushed.

The long brunette locks and pearl orbs replies: "Hn."

"…Emotionless bastards."

"Dope."

"Fuck you, Neji."

"I'd rather you not. Thanks."

.

.

.

The bell rings,  
it's time.

.

You think you're ready?

.

.

_Think again._

'Cause there is  
this thing:

F A T E.

.

.

Want to know something  
funny about this thing one  
calls fate?

.

.

It works:  
hard and at  
a pace that is,

wonderful

and

painful.

All at the same time.

.

.

(or so the tune goes.)

.

.

.

Class 1-A is filled with those who scored the highest out of most in the first years during the entrance examinations. It nothing special to most students of Kohona Academy, it is just like any other classroom they've been in during their education. The room has adequate lighting, unsoiled desk, a bulletin board located in the back and a chalk board in the front along with a podium for the teacher. There is a cabinet located in the back along with an elongated shelf for bags and such.

Nearly everyone is in a seat of their choice except for a selected few. The room is filled with chatter and laughter as they wait for their assigned homeroom teacher. There is not one person in the room that doesn't know who is who.

"Did you hear…"

"…And they had the nerve—"

"So, father thought it'd be a good idea if…"

"No, get out!"

"Seriously, where is that—"

A sliding door opens and a man in a doctor-like mask enters the room. He has gray hair but shows no signs of old age on his face. One can only tell that he smiling by simply looking at his eyes that have a slight sparkle in them. He steps onto the podium after he places the book on his desk, and clears his throat.

The students notice his presence and seize their conversations. Those sitting, straighten their backs while the ones standing find a seat. They all lower their voice till the room becomes completely silent. Everything seems to be _perfectly_normal.

But it is not. It cannot be, for there is some sort of imbalance in the room. It is the empty desk located near a group of boys that could catch the eyes of any girl as they walked by on the streets.

"Ohayou."

"Ohayou, sensei." While some are serious, a few reply lazily.

He turns his back and begins to write his name. _Hatake Kakashi_ it reads in Kanji. He turns around, his eyes with a slight squint for his smile is wide behind the mask. And like any first day at Konoha Academy, the homeroom teacher opens his mouth and says oh-so-formally, "I am Hatake Kakashi, and I will be your homeroom and English teacher for this following year. It is a pleasure it meet you all."

There is no response from the students as they all simple look straight ahead and wait for him to continue. "As you all know, your class is filled with the brightest of your year. As such, the Academy expects…" He continues on with the speech that was given to him before hand to the students.

The students sit there half paying attention, half asleep. It is nothing special really, they do not care for the first day because it is all an introduction. All they cared about was for the day to be over. And though no one ever truly mentions it, most of the students at the Academy await for the first two weeks or so to end. For that is when they know their routine and learn whether or not, the year was going to be something to look forward too.

After what has seem to be hours but has only been merely two minutes, Kakashi has announce that he will begin to take roll. As he says the names out loud and hands are raised a pair of light blue eyes fall to the desk beside him.

The boy with the light blue eyes happens to be Naruto. He is looking at the desk intently and wonders to himself, "_What if_…" but he stops himself in mid-thought.

"Haruno, Sak—"

.

.

The door slides,  
and fate?  
It begins its job.

.

.

There standing at the door is Haruno Sakura flustered. She bows her head, her short pink hair falls down over her face. "Gomennasi, sensei. I got lost on my way to—"

Kakashi waves her off and chuckles a little. "It's fine. Please, take your seat."

She nods and turns her head towards the other end of the room. Her emerald eyes scan the room and walks towards the empty desk in the middle of the room. For a moment her eyes squint for something has caught her eye or rather _someone_. The longer she looks the sooner she makes out what has caught her eyes thus, they widen. She stops at the side of her desk. Her head turns slightly but before she can catch herself from doing anything more, Kakashi speaks once more.

"Haruno, Sakura?"

She turns, "Hai?"

"Please take your seat so I can continue roll call."

It seems to the teacher that she is taking too long to reach her seat. She nods embarrassed sitting down in the seat. A few students around her turn around to look at her. They gave her the classic once over before turning around. Those behind her whisper silently but only for a few moments. As soon as it had occurred, the small commotion has come to a halt. It is as if her entrance had never happened and everyone is waiting quietly for the roll call to end.

Though she sighs with some remorse, she feels very out of place. None the less, she does everyone's example. She straightens up in her desk and places her hands somewhere she felt was right—her lap. And like everyone else she holds a bored expression on her face and does nothing but sits still and waits.

She is not aware of boy looking at her in awe. In return, he does not know she is silently cursing herself in her head.

.

.

.

.

The room is restless. It is lunch time.

"Go talk to her."

"Demo—"

Haruno Sakura cannot hear their whispers for she is not where they are. She is with Mari late at night speaking to a boy named Takahashi in a park feeding cats. Sakura is a different world than everyone else in Class 1-A. At the moment, she is in the world that Haruki Murakami wrote in a book called _After Dark_. She sits quietly focused on the literature in her hand unaware of true reality.

The boy who sits beside her in class isn't listening to his friends speak, instead he casts glances at her. Ever since she entered the classroom, he has been intrigued like the rest of the people in the room. Different words that form into individual questions run through his mind. Ones like: Who is she? Why is she here? What was with her hair? And those eyes...

Before he knows it he gets up from sitting on top of a desk and walks down the aisle. He walks slowly till he reaches the side of her desk. He clears his throat. She makes no move to look up.

"Ano... Boku wa Uzumaki Naruto—"

A few turn their head and watch as the blonde introduces himself to the new student. The only slight movements she makes is her chest moving up and down slowly and her eyes blinking every once in a while. He waits for her to say anything in return, to move but nothing.

Scratching the back of his neck, his eyebrows crinkle. "Nee, Haruno-san."

And though no one can see it, she stops her breathing for a mere second before turning her head to look up at the blonde. Her emerald eyes look at his well styled locks to his whisker like marks on his checks and finally to his clear blue eyes.

"Hai?"

His eyes widen. Like her appearance, her voice is just as beautiful. It may have only been a simple world to anyone else but to Uzumaki Naruto it was lyrical and almost surreal. "Boku wa Uzumaki Naruto! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Her facial expression doesn't change—vacant as ever she only blinks. Then it happens. After hearing the boy shout a greeting she does something unthinkable. The sides of her lips curve upward and her mouth opens slightly. She smiles for a mere moment and then, she giggles.

.

.

_"It's a pleasure to meet you, Uzumaki-kun."_

.

.

He looks away.

Her smile disappears. The book mark on her desk is placed within her book. "Did I do something wrong?"

His eyes widen and he turns back to look at her. With arms waving in front of him, he frantically says, "No! Absolutely not! I—"

She giggles once more, he blushes.

"What?"

She only stares at him with a smile before say, "You're funny, Uzumaki-kun."

He, Uzumaki Naruto, could swear on only one thing:

Haruno Sakura could be his dream girl.

.

.

.

Konoha Academy's rooftop.

The area is spacious and clean. There are benches near one of the railings. These benches are situated into a square with plants on each of the "corners." The entrance way is found in a building like structure somewhere near the middle of the rooftop.

The place is quite with the exception of the sounds made by the light breeze in the air. The sky is filled with few clouds and is a nice shade of light blue. It's where one could find those who came to clear their thoughts or wished to have a few moments of privacy.

It is perhaps Uchiha Sasuke's favorite place in the Academy.

Arms folded, he is leaning against the railings by the benches of the rooftop. His eyes do not seem to be looking anywhere in particular but his gaze is most likely to the sky. His face is vacant but his thoughts are not. He thinks of his life. And yet he cannot seem to figure out why but, he thinks to Class 1-A.

He thinks to where he was forced to sit by his annoying blonde best friend. And he thinks of—

.

.

_"Sasuke-kun!"_

_._

_._

For a few seconds, he is seven again. He is free and alive. He is in a place that was a secret held between him and his mother; one that his father knew nothing about. His eyes sparkle as he laughs and he is with _her_. The girl that was clumsy, that seemed to cry if laughed at, that had a smile that could break one's heart, and that at the time seemed to be more important than anything in his world.

His thoughts all fall back to the girl he knew he'd never see again. Though there were nights where memories of her would haunt him. How he would have nightmares of the same girl crying by the swings screaming out his name; calling out words like _why_ till it became something unbearable causing him to wake. There were others where he'd dream of being seven again running around in the park with her and feeling content.

He thinks of the girl with a big forehead, pink hair, and emerald eyes—

.

.

.

He thinks of Haruno Sakura,  
the girl he _wished _**to** never _see _**again**.

.

.

.

—But fate will not let him have his desire to become true. After all, she worked so hard to get into the Academy.

.

.

.

Haruno Sakura hums a tune from one of her favorite Korean bands, Epik High as she washes her hands. The dismissal bell had rung ten minutes ago and she had already made plans with her new friend Tenten to walk to the station together. She wipes her hands with one of the paper towel from a dispenser in the bathroom before pushing the door open with her hip.

_Bam!_

Her humming stops; she falters.

"—Ah!"

For the second time today, Sakura has bumped into someone. The person who has caught her in her arms freezes.

She slowly opens her eyes while her mouth moves, "Gomen…na…sai…"

It only takes her a second to have her eyes adjust and then widen. Her eyes meet dark charcoal like orbs and her heart skips a beat.

"Sa...suke?"

.

.

.

_...to be continued..._

.

.

**author's note**: And there you have it chapter 1! (: So guys a few things you might be wondering... -cough- ehem. Any questions or concerns please do send me a **PM **or **REVIEW**. If you are too lazy to google translate the terms in here you may or may not know ('_cause I would be too, keke._) then again, just ask! I won't mind at all :D

Lastly, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Hope you have a nice day/afternoon/night!

[original post: 5/8/12; update: 5/29/12]


	3. II

Your heart pounds:

_Bump._

_Bump._

.

.

The noises it makes,  
it rings in your ears like

no other.

.

.

Your heart?

Does it deceive you?

Or rather, is it your own  
sight; _being—_

_._

_._

**—yourself**?

.

.

.

**. like yesterday**

**chapter two**

"Sa...suke?"

The set of charcoal that looked back at her emerald had changed emotions. They had gone from surprised to their own mixture of faintness and confusion. None the less, Sakura had felt like her next breathe of air was in far reach and her checks had gone red.

Neither of them spoke to one another. They simply stood there for a moment in the hallway. His arms around hers before she had placed her foot properly on the ground causing his hands to let go. Her drops head down and him waiting for something—anything to occur at that moment.

And before she knew it, he had spoken.

"It has been quite some time since I have been mistaken for my younger cousin."

She does not answer for she is in a daze. _What kind of fool am I? s_he thinks before she lifts up her head to meet his face. It is then that she notices they are not the same person. The eyes were not the same in color but the way they presented themselves were the same. Their face structure was similar but not quite and the hair was without a doubt different. Possibly from the back they could be mistaken for each other but this man, the stranger who had caught her was not the Sasuke she sought out to see.

"...your younger cousin?"

The boy nods and offers her a smile, though it does not reach his eyes. "Hai. You were referring to Uchiha Sasuke, right?"

She chooses not open her mouth. Instead she nods. He overlooks this and continues to speak.

"Yes, I can remember when the last time we were mistaken as one another…" His voice trails off and so does his thoughts. He thinks of his childhood as a young Uchiha boy. His smile transforms slowly into a thin line and his face becomes unreadable.

He begins to reminisce in his past with people in and out of the clan. He remembers of the many times he was taught to be strong in both mind and body by numerous clan members. The days where he was forced to put on the same expression the Uchiha Clan was so well known for and how everyone had fell for it. He thinks of the times where there were his presence was mandatory along with many others of the clan. He can hear the words of his clansmen as if it was only yesterday.

Most importantly, not only does he remember but is he reminded of who he was born to be and what he was to amount to.

"Ano…"

He is pulled out of his thoughts by the girl with pink hair.

"If you don't mind me asking… who are you?"

He smiles again. "I am Uchiha Sai from Class 2-A." She nods while he gives her a once over. His eyes trail from the top of her head down to her eyes and to her shoulders all the way to her knees. "What happened to your kn—"

Her eyes trail down to her bandaged knee. In an effort to hide them she moves her other knee to cover it and she blushes. "I… fall a lot."

"Haruno Sakura-san, a word of advice," He turns his heels in an effort to leave. "No matter the circumstance—"

Her eyes widen and she slowly lifts her head.

"—one should never bow their head to anyone."

With her head is fully raise, she is prepared to reply but she cannot. Her brows raise and her chest heaves upward, then down again.

.

.

The boy is gone,

.

leaving her with one  
lingering…

.

_thought._

.

.

She could not recall telling him her name.

.

.

.

The black luxurious car door closes.  
"You're late, cousin."

"Hn."

And in silence, they sit.

.

.

If it were anyone else sitting in this very car,  
they'd suffocate by the dead silence  
and the sudden feel of cold air.

But they weren't just anyone—

.

.

—they were _Uchiha._

_._

_._

In most aspects of their life, Sasuke and Sai were very much identical. Their last names bounded them to the most honorable and tradition ways of life. Their speech, attitude, appearance, life story, and the way they carried themselves—so alike, that it was almost frightening. They both had older brothers that were remarkably well-bred and to which they were compared to on multiple occasions. Though, despite most of this there was one thing that will always be the reason for why the two cousins were somewhat detached to one another.

Uchiha Sai and Sasuke had **switched**  
roles in society as they grew older.

By what means, you wonder? Simple: Sasuke learned to mend his mistakes from his childhood while Sai decided to rebel. Thus, making one who was once a black sheep, a golden one and while the other became the exact opposite in the eyes of the Clan.

How did this happen? Back in the main house hold, Uchiha Sai had announced to the elders that he did not wish to take apart of the future business of the clan and to go to college simply for the sake of the Clan. Rather he wanted to become an artist of some sort. He wanted to go to France, Italy, or possibly even, England and study at a great institute for art. He yearned for a chance to enhance the abilities his mother had graced him. He wished to do the unthinkable and that was what it exactly was in the eyes of the elders—_unthinkable._

In the end, they frowned. They said no. They crushed his proposal before giving any thought to it. Even though the public had not heard of it, the clansmen had not overlooked it. They basically decided that Uchiha Sai was to be careful watch, even more frequently than ever.

None the less, no one could ever tell if Sai had changed because of the meeting with the elders. He continued as if nothing had changed—as if, he never stated he wanted to abandon what everyone worked so hard for him and his fellow relatives to obtain. And everyone else acted the same.

"Sasuke," Sai said looking out the window. He watched as the car moved past each light post and tree, never turning his head. "Do you remember when we were forced to go to those parties as a children?"

Sasuke turned his head as he looked at Sai's unmoving body. "What of it?"

"Remember when we used to trick people into thinking we were the other and they'd always fall for it. Or when they'd assume we were the other or our brothers?"

"Aa."

Sai's head does not move but his eyes turn to the corner as he speaks, "What if I told you that happened again today?"

"You were mistaken for Shin?"

He shakes his head. "No, it was you." Sasuke turns his head forward and the car ride becomes silent once again. One can only hear the sounds of car engine moving down the street from the inside.

Until one of them speaks again but now in a different tone then before. It is hard. It's as if they were angry or attempting to get down to some kind of business. The owner of this tone's face is slowly covered by their bangs. It's as if they already know the answer to their question but wishes to have more clarification. "Do you… know who it was? The person that thought wrong."

.

.

"It was that new scholarship student—"

_There was only one._

"—the one that everyone is raving about—"

_How much did he wish to be wrong again?_

"—Haruno Sakura."

.

.

Uchiha Sasuke couldn't believe this.  
His fists clinched slightly and  
he grits his teeth.

She did not forget at all.

.

.

It is six o'clock at night in Japan. The busy streets of Tokyo are bustling with noises and brighter than ever. Back in the country side of Hokkaido, it's silent with the exception of the noises from the nature outside and the people in their houses laughing. In Kyoto, it's considered to be like Tokyo but not quite there for its size is much smaller and so is the noise amount at night. Around this time in Japan something is happening to someone.

It doesn't matter who it is but rather, who are they. We are in the dining room in a house of an Uchiha. There is a long table within the center of the rectangular room and above it is a chandler hanging in the center of the ceiling. The light shines bright and the decor is beautiful, very much like the people sitting down within this room. These people eat quietly with the occasional small talk brought up by the only woman at the table.

She holds a bright smile that reaches her eyes. Her voice is like no other, it's enchanting to most. She is the head woman of the Uchiha house hold. Uchiha Mikoto is her name. Though to most, she is best known as the wife of Uchiha Fugaku, and the mother of both Uchiha Sasuke and Itachi.

"Aunt Mikoto, this dinner is truly exceptional." Uchiha Sai said after taking a sip of his water. This was not the first time he has taken a seat at this table for dinner. Many times as a child he had eaten with both his cousins and aunt if he had stayed over later than he had planned.

Mikoto smiles, "Thank you. Though I'm sorry that you were not able to enjoy this meal with Fugaku tonight." The room is silent once more, by the mention of head of the Clan. Everyone knew at the table that _he_ would rarely be present at dinner.

Sasuke's eyes were on his mother as she said this. As always, he'd hear his mother's sudden change of tone. He'd have to witness her change in expression that would disappear quickly for an Uchiha male or female had to master said technique. But no matter how many times he had to witness these events that lead to his mother's reaction; he had to remember one thing:

Being an Uchiha male,  
_always _caused **pain**_._

.

.

.

It is the second weekday of the first week of April the 3rd.

_Ding dong!_

The noise simulates the start of today's classes. It notifies the students who are standing up to find a seat or tells those who have yet to reach their classroom that they are late. Though the dinging of the school bell is played multiple times throughout the day it does not by means get old. It simply becomes part of one's day and is brushed off. It creates order that no one really thinks of unless told to figure out otherwise.

Hatake Kakashi walks down the halls to his classroom with the rest of the second floor homeroom teachers. Among them is one Yuhi Kurenai a beauty of the school. She has long wavy brunette hair that reaches her hips and red eyes that can either pierce into ones soul or capture ones heart. She is an unyielding and carefree young woman. Many men have attempted to capture her heart like she has theirs but many have failed. One that never truly fell for her spell was one silver haired male—and that's how it will always be.

"What do you think of the first years this year?"

"They are more or less like carbon copies of the second years this year."

The teachers continued to speak to one another as each one left to go to their assigned classroom. In the end, the only two left were Kakashi and Kurenai.

"Asuma says he's going to be running a little late tonight."

The hallway was empty with the exception of their breathing. Kakashi's hand was reaching for the sliding door. He turns his head and smiles.

"Shall we start the drinking without him early?"

She gives a small laugh at the thought. "Whatever you say, Kakashi."

She then enters her classroom with the sliding door behind her. He stares at where she has been standing only a few moments ago before turning his head to the door and sliding it open.

"Ohayou."

"Ohayou, Kakashi-sensei."

He stands behind his assigned podium and says, "As you know, today will be the day for an assigned seating arrangement." There are a few collective groans but he caries on with his speech. "There will be a box filled with numbers on the podium in which each one of you will pick one number out. The numbers will be written on the board in a randomly ordered fashion. And no, you may not switch numbers."

The students begin to slowly talk amongst themselves as Kakashi turns to draw squares on the board with numbers in side. Haruno Sakura sits in the front of the classroom in the third row from the window. She looks down at her empty desk top with her hands holding onto her messenger bag. She has only spoken to a selected few in the first year class and only two inside her classroom: Uzumaki Naruto and Nara Shikamaru. None of females in her classroom wished to speak to her but instead they choose to talk about other things she could not relate to or even about her. After all, she was new and in their eyes she did not belong.

"I hope I get to sit next to Uzumaki-kun or even better—"

"Did you see, Huyga-san yesterday at lunch?"

"Damn it! Shino don't do that! I swear—"

"Don't speak to loud, Katsumi! They might hear you!"

"You know, that Yamanaka should learn her place."

Haruno Sakura assumes that those two girls: Huyga-san and Yamanaka, were important. She over hear things about how the girls wished to sit next to the supposed eye candy of the school. And over all, she listens to all the ruckus her classmates make: joking around and enjoying their free time.

"Haruno-san."

She looks up from her desk to only meet the eyes of the one who calls out her name. "I hope we get to sit by each other this semester." He smiles. She blushes. For a significant second it's as if she is in a place of bliss. She is someone to be notice but it doesn't last too long.

"Uzumaki-san, since you're up. Why don't you take the first pick?" The blonde groans, and moves from the desk in the front of the third row by the window to the podium. His hand reaches into the box and quickly grabs a number and unfolds it. Though it doesn't look like it, multiple people look at the blonde's back in anticipation.

_Thirty-two._

The blonde goes to the board to search for his number he is assigned to sit at the fourth row from the window in the third seat. He groans inwardly before turning around to grab his bag from his seat by the window.

"The rest of you, get up from your seats and get into a line by the podium. Each one of you will have to take turns choosing a number." And with that the rest of the room grabs their things and begins to approach the box with a set of numbers with hopes of having some luck in stored for them.

.

.

_Kami-sama, I leave my faith in your hands._ She says silently in her head with her hands clinging together in front her chest and her eyes close. She opens them and her hand slowly reaches towards the box filled with numbers. _Please, Kami-sama_ _don't make me sit next to—_

"What was she doing?"

"It's probably something commoners tradition before taking out numbers."

_—someone similar to them._

Her hand touches one of the folded papers and she grasps it gently and unfolds. Haruno Sakura walks towards the board and searches for her number. Her eyes slowly trail down the numbers until she sees it: number twenty. It's the fifth desk in the first row by the window, the second to the back. She turns her heels before walking to the window seat. No one is sitting down around the desk and she signs a bit.

There with her bag places into her lap and waits quietly while everyone else rushes to grab their numbers and sit down. She watches as girls giggle together and whine about not sitting next to each other. The boys in her classroom are either holding up the façade that they are uninterested or that they are extremely overjoyed over the new seating arrangements. There is a girl across the room who blushes after finding who she is to sit next to and a boy who sits in his new seat reading a book contently.

Sakura turns her head looking out from the second-story window she can only the clear blue sky and a few tree tops. If she were to get up from her seat she'd be able to see one of the numerous vacant fields of the Academy by the side walk of the school with benches on the side. In front of her desk, a seat is pulled and someone sits down. Sakura looks forward to see who it maybe. Her eyes widen and her lips curl up a bit. "It's you, Nara-san."

"Hello Haruno-san," He says mumbling into his sleeve. His head is down and his eyes are closed, like always he is sleepy. She smiles and leaves him to drifting off slowly as the rest of the students begin to calm down and sit awaiting further instructions.

.

.

"I hope I got the desk next to Uchiha-san!"

"Look—"

His head goes forward and grasps a number.

"What number do you think—"

He begins to move as his eyes have already seen where he belongs. He walks down the aisles towards his seat. The girls in the room watch intensely except for one. He clutches his bag's handle tightly. He curses inwardly but keeps the same detached expression.

Some girls' eyes widen as he flips his bangs to the side away from his face ever so slightly, others are rushing to figure out what numbers surround him. The person sitting to his left jumps a little by the noise of his bag hitting the desk top. He sits down silently, waiting for this homeroom period to end.

Gasp.

"The nerve—"

He searches for his Math subject notebook in his bag.

"—unbelievable…"

He finds it and sets it on the top of his desk as his bag goes to the floor.

"—Miss Honor Student-san, how undeserving!"

.

.

Uchiha Sasuke's number:  
seven.

How lucky of him,  
to be assigned:

.

The seat two rows from the window,  
and fifth in said row.

Beside someone  
none other than  
Miss Honor Student,

.

.

Haruno Sakura.

.

.

.

A few rows away a girl whispers to another, "Katsumi, are you going to tell her?"

The girl beside the speaker only nods her head and looks down at her workbook. "Of course, Ami, wouldn't you?"

Silently they sit beside each other on the farthest side of the room from the window. The one named Ami casts a glance at the pair by the window. Their desk side by side with a Japanese workbook in between their desk, they write down notes like the rest of the class and listen intently. "Hai, I would."

.

.

.

She wants to speak to him, yet she's afraid at the same time. Through the conversations around her and the pain that once consumed her, she can't help it. Years ago, she had gotten "over it" as one would say. Though in truth, she never really did. How could she? The one person that seemed to make her a stronger person had disappeared from her life without an explanation. She needs answers—no, _one_ simple answer would suffice to her needs.

Haruno Sakura wants to hold onto the chance that she's wrong. That he left her with a good reason and it wasn't completely selfish, but no matter how she wanted it to be, she couldn't bring herself to believe. No matter what it was it always ended up as a selfish reason. If he were to stay it would be for his or her benefit. If he was to leave it could be for his or her benefit. In the end, if one were truly to analysis the situation—it would seem selfish for either side.

Her eyes trail down to the workbook between them. Japanese characters written over the pages with lines that needed answers. She does not want to move her gaze away from the paper however she cannot help but do so. She turns her head ever so slightly and looks at the boy beside her.

His raven locks, perfect bone structure from the side, and his skin that looks like it would feel like silk—it is all she takes in. His eyes, the onyx orbs, they turn to his corner and he looks at her. Quickly, she turns away and he turns his gaze forward once more.

.

.

Ever since she had seen him, she silently and solemnly wished to receive an answer to a question she wished to voice. No matter how many times she attempt to approach him, he had disappeared—left in not a rush but fast enough for her to miss him. She had seen him looking out the window in the hall way but as soon as she attempted to approach him Uzumaki Naruto popped out of the classroom and began to talk to her. It was as if fate was toying with her and while fate toyed with her; she became frustrated and at lost.

Though this was her chance in a sense, but was she going to do it was the question. Her hand reaches for her lead pencil and she moves her arm towards the workbook. _Here goes nothing…_

.

.

Her hand swiftly moves as she writes down in Hiragana: **Can we talk?**

.

.

His eyes move down the page as he reads her words. His brow scrunches up and he ponders but it only takes him a mere second to grab his lead pencil and write beside her words:

.

.

**Room 142, Lunch,  
Sakura.**

.

.

.

It's lunch time. Haruno Sakura had stopped by Class 2-A to alert Tenten that she had some business to take care off today. She walks up the stairs to the third floor, Chemistry Lab. On the outside she seems relatively calm but deep down in her mind she is conflicted and her heart is beating faster for she knows she's reaching her destination.

She walks down the hall filled with the Senior Class, the third years. There are some walking out of the classrooms and others hanging out by the windows. Some cast a glance at her while others just brush off her presence.

As recalls the tour she was given by Tenten, she turns the corner and tells herself: _C'mon, Sakura, you can do this. He's still Sasuke—_

She stops in mid-step. "…he is, isn't he?" _There's only one way to find out, huh?_

Her eyes fallow the number signs above the doors as they begin to descend from 148 but it doesn't take her long for her to reach the room—room 142, the Chemistry Lab. Her hand reaches the knob to open the door.

The room is fully lit and there are lab tables placed across the room in an orderly fashion. Uchiha Sasuke is not sitting down in any of these seats, instead his back is turned and he stands in front of one of the display cabinets.

It's as if he senses her presence and turns immediately. She is frozen by his gaze. His onyx orbs, they pierce into her emerald. She bits her lip and he stands his ground. They are alone.

"Ano, Sasuke-kun—"

"Don't call me that." She's taken back by his forceful tone. Her eyes widen and silently she thinks, _Why are you— _Cautiously, she takes a step forward. Her heart's thumping, rings in her ears.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened nine years ago…" She begins to speak with her eyes staring back into his. His eyes, though hard become soft for only a second—she takes note in this and wishes to speak further.

He won't let her. "Sakura—"

The way he says her name brings this strange feeling in her chest.

"Forget about me."

.

.

.

_...to be continued..._

_._

_._

**author's note:** TADA~ Here is chapter two for all you to enjoy! I do apologize for such a long wait! So, in return I shall give you all a sneak preview for the next chapter (: please do send me feedback! :D

.

.

Chapter Three: Preview:

His hands in his pockets slowly form into a fist. He tears his gaze away from his view outside and turns towards the girl whose hand is on his arm. He looks down at her emerald orbs and merely examines her features before speaking.

"Sakura," A corner of his lips begins to rise. "You haven't changed one bit."

Her eyes widen. He smirks.

"You're still annoying."


	4. III

**like yesterday_**

.

.

.

There was once a time,  
where she heard the saying:

"Be careful what you wish for."

.

She had brushed it off—  
as if, it was nothing.

.

But now?  
She longed to "un-wish"  
such a wish.

.

.

**chapter three**

"Forget about me."

She couldn't move. She felt immobilized by his words. How? Why? It made no sense. Haruno Sakura didn't want to think anymore—no, rather she couldn't. It was as if her mind had reached some kind of halt and her body was numb all over. Though, for some reason she can still hear, see, and feel. And for this very moment she wishes she couldn't.

"I…" Her lips, they part slightly and the words slowly reach the tip of her tongue. "…don't understand."

He turns his graze from her to the window and walks slowly to it. The room is silent except with exception of his footsteps. Her eyes fallow his movements and slowly begin to examine his appearance. He wore the same uniform as every male in the Academy: black slacks and a button up long sleeve semi-formal shirt. And it didn't take a rocket scientist to notice that it fit him perfectly.

A part of her wants to say something else but she can't. She knows that she must wait for his reply. Her eyes—as they travel upward from his clothes, they twinkle slightly and only for a few moments. It was his hair. It hadn't changed by much. Back as a child it was cluttered and sleek, yet now it less cluttered. It was styled to the point where one could claim it to be a sort of "sexy-messy."

"There is nothing to understand, Sakura. Just forget about me."

She shakes off her meaningless thoughts and slowly beings to regain composure. Eyes widen, she replies, "Nothing to understand? No, I can't—how can you expect me to forget while we're both—"

"Just do it." His tone is flat and uncaring.

"You can't say that," she slowly stutters out her words. "I can't just forget about…"

He says nothing. She bits her lip.

"I can't forget about _us_." Her words come out as low whisper but none the less, he hears it.

And yet, he does nothing. He does not make any attempt to move from his spot by the window or to say a single word to her. He cannot bring himself to do anything at this moment. She stands there staring at his unmoving figure by the window and begins to feel her eyes water. _Why? Why are you acting so—_

"Sasuke…"

His ears pick up on her husky voice as she says his name. He can hear her on the verge of tears. He can hear her heart calling out to a boy she once knew.

"…why? Why are you acting like this?" It takes every ounce of her courage to move. "Why didn't you show up? You—I waited for you almost every day, Sasuke. Did I do something?" Step. Step. Step. "Did I say something to offend you? I mean, I never meant to—" She reaches for his arm and lightly touches it.

"—hurt you or anything."

His hands in his pockets slowly form into a fist. He tears his gaze away from his view outside and turns towards the girl whose hand is on his arm. He looks down at her emerald orbs and merely examines her features before speaking.

"Sakura." A corner of his lips begins to rise. "You haven't changed one bit."

Her eyes widen. He smirks.

"You're still annoying."

.

Her hand slowly slips from his arm. Like a ragdoll's arm, Sakura's falls to her side. She says nothing, does nothing but look up into those cold onyx eyes that tell nothing. "I…"

He gives her a once over as he looks down before taking a step back. She can't move for it seems like her feet were cemented to the floor of the chemistry lab. Her head only turns as she watches him slowly walk towards the door. His hand reaches for the door and turns the knob before making his exit. Then he leaves her all alone within the room.

Haruno Sakura feels it. The same feeling she felt ten years ago. It was this sentiment in her stomach that made her want to throw up but could never bring herself to do the deed. She reaches for a table edge to grab a hold of but soon her legs become Jell-O, causing her to fall to the ground. She didn't care for her skirt hitting the ground and because all she can sense is emptiness, which was not only present in her stomach but also in her chest.

Opening her mouth, she doesn't speak. She only breathes out loud. Her chest begins to heave upward and down. In an attempt to calm down her hand goes up to lay flat on her chest, but she cannot—calm down that is. And she, herself cannot comprehend why. Somehow within her self being, she feels or rather she knows at this moment, the person who'd made her feel like she belonged—

—didn't want anything to do with her.

.

The hall way in which Room 142 was located was silent. He curses and turns to the closed door opposite of Room 142 and hits the wall beside it with his fist. He cannot scream because it wasn't right. And yet again he remembers, everything he did wasn't right, nor was it just. It could never be.

_Why? _He thinks, looking down. His fist continually hits the wall as his head lies on his arm. Shutting his eyes he curses and begins to let his thoughts overcome him for a few minutes.

"Tch." He says. "Sakura..."

_I'm sorry._

.

.

.

She walks down the hall ways of third floor towards the staircase leading to the floor below it. They echo in her mind over and over again; the words he did not mutter nor shout out loud:

"_Just forget about me."_

The words other children had told her as a child, she shall never forget. Over time, she had gotten past it all because in the end what they had told her didn't matter. She had chosen to believe that the things that they had told her were untrue and would no longer affect her anymore.

Shutting her eyes, she cringes. Though their words will not affect her anymore she knows one thing for sure—

"_You're still annoying."_

—his words, they'll forever be etched into her mind.

Can she go on? Can she do what he wishes—no, what he demands? Can she truly make herself forget? Forget everything? The park, the way he'd laugh, smile, and listen to her like she was someone? Could she forget how carefree she felt as a child being pushed on the swings? How powerful she felt went pushed him down the slide making him laugh? Or how everything seemed to disappear for days on end when she was at her happiest? How could she possibly forget about the little boy who seemed to dominate all of her past memories?

.

Her feet step down the staircase. She can hear people laughing and speaking to one another in the hallways and classrooms. Her hand goes to her chest and she makes her way down the final step. She stands at the foot of the staircase with her eyes shut for a second. Haruno Sakura shakes her head.

She couldn't. She wouldn't. It was impossible. Why? Because back in Room 142 she felt, for a sheer instant he was practically lying—to himself and her.

He just had to be.

.

.

.

"Do it."

"But, I just—"

"You heard Oujo-sama. Do you have no loyalty?"

Silence.

"Well?"

Katsumi gulps and takes a step forward. The rest of the girls grin but shrugs it off. They begin to walk down the hall way together, talking amongst themselves.

Like many of the girls around her, Katsumi had her proprieties in many areas. One of them was being a faithful assistant to her Oujo-sama and another to Uchiha Sasuke. Katsumi in an essence did not hold a high importance in Oujo-sama's eyes—she would never be a person who could possibly be considered as the next right hand man or anything. Despite this, Katsumi always did what she was told even if it was a bit over her head.

Thus, she was given a simple task.

Her target was approaching and the rest of the girls beside Katsumi continued as nothing was about to happen. They take their steps down the hall and laugh amongst themselves and wait. Katsumi's face changes from a content expression to a determine one. Her eyes fix onto the girl standing in the hall with her eyes looking towards the window. Katsumi's lip curves up at the corners and extends her elbow.

_Thud._

The girl whose eyes were looking towards falls to the ground. And the rest of the girls behind Katsumi hurry to get away from said girl and ignore her.

.

Her task? Teach a certain hindrance a lesson—push her, shove her, ect. Do whatever Katsumi saw fit depending on the situation.

Yes, a truly simple task indeed.

.

.

.

"Yamanaka-san! Where are you—"

"Let's discuss this later, Karou!"

Yamanaka Ino was the daughter of Yamanaka Inochi, a renowned lawyer in Japan. Whenever someone was in a tight situation that not just any legal representative could fix for them, they'd call upon Inochi. If they were lucky he'd take the job but the chances were slim. The man was in high demand and his services were not cheap either.

The girl had been raised to know the wrongs and rights of the world through eyes of some type of fair dealing. Was Yamanaka Ino teased for being sometime of goodie-good? Not even close. The girl stood her ground and wouldn't lose an argument of any sort.

Ino walked down towards the front of classroom 1-A to the girl who had fallen. "Hey, are you okay?" She said as she bent her knees and extended her arm out to the fallen girl.

As the girl grabs her hand, Ino studies her. _Pink hair? _She thinks helping her up. G_reen eyes and a big forehead…_ Ino's eyes widen. "No way..."

"Thanks." The girl says as they let go of each others' hands. "I tend to fall a lot so it means a lot that you helped me." She smiles at Yamanaka Ino and continues. "I'm Ha—"

"I know who you are," Ino says laughing. "Haruno Sakura, right?"

With a confused expression on her face, Sakura nods.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

_How did she…? _Sakura raises her brow before saying, "I don't mean to be rude but how does everyone know who I am?"

Ino laughs while Sakura stands confused.

Moments pass before the blonde speaks again. "I'm sorry. It's just, well, to be frank, Haruno-san, you _are_ a bit of a celebrity around here."

"A celebrity?"

Ino nods as Sakura blatantly stares at her.

"I... I don't understand?"

And to which the blonde says, "For one thing we don't get new people around here too often and you've done quite a lot in the last twenty-four hours if I'm not correct." Ino nods her head knowingly before looking to the honor student. "Haruno-san?"

Sakura takes in the appearance of the girl before her. The girl is only a few centimeters taller than her. Her hair was much longer than Sakura's and was sported into a high pony tail that reached her hips. The girl had a heart shaped face with a bone structure that Sakura almost envied. Though, Sakura found herself staring into the blonde's eyes because after all, a person's eyes told you more than the owner would let you. Yamanaka Ino's sapphire orbs made Sakura smile and say, "Sakura. Please call me Sakura."

These words only made Yamanaka Ino smile. "Well then, Sakura, please call me Ino."

"Yama—" She stops mid-sentence and corrects herself. "Ino, if you don't mind me asking..."

"Not at all, ask away."

"Ano, what have I done to be 'famous' around here?"

The blonde girl turns her back to the girl and begins to walk. "How about we go for a walk, Sakura?"

And by the sounds of it, it was not a question but rather a request. A request, Haruno Sakura could only but follow.

.

.

.

Uchiha Sasuke sat down in one of vacant music rooms surrounded by the potential successors to multimillion companies and other things that could be considered similar. Here he sat down with those, most would consider to being his friends, with chops sticks in hand as he chewed on a tomato in silence. The boys continued to laugh amongst themselves and continue to discuss topics that Sasuke choose to not pay attention to, for his mind was not on what they had to say.

Across from him sat the son first son of the candidate branch of the Huyga Clan, but was seen as the first choice for the main branch's successor, Hyuuga Neji. Beside him was Sasuke's own cousin, Sai, laughing at something that Naruto had said.

Next to Sai was a heir who thought his father's law firm was too troublesome for its own good, Nara Shikamaru, and another who would not get full control of his family business, Subaku no Gaara. To Sasuke's left was the son of well renowned Medical group, Inuzuka Kiba while to his right was Uzumaki Naruto, the only son of Namikaze Minato, Japan's foreign ambassador.

"Oi! Sasuke-teme!"

At the sound of his name being called, Sasuke escapes from his thoughts and tilts his head to the side and looks at the blonde beside him. "What?" he says flatly.

"It's okay. I mean, you need to stop acting like this. We all know."

From hearing the statement, Sasuke was taken off guard but made no indication of his surprise. He merely narrowed his eyes signaling the boy to explain.

Naruto sighed. "We know, dude."

Kiba scrunched his nose. "Seriously, what made you think we wouldn't?"

Neji crossed his arms. "We've accepted it, don't worry."

Shikamaru looks up to the sky. "There's not much else that we can do."

"Will you guys get to the—"

Gaara put his hand on the Uchiha male's shoulder. "You're dying, Sasuke. You really need to start seizing the day, _carpe diem._"

"What has Sai been—"

"I had no say in this dear cousin."

Silence.

Sasuke rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Che," he mutters under his breath before walking away.

Translation: You're all idiots and I'm not dying.

More silence.

.

Someone coughs and another mumbles. "You will die alone with your attitude."

"Kiba, what did you say? Sasuke's gonna—"

"What was that, Inuzuka?"

"If I may remind you, Kiba, Sasuke's family does have—"

"Just because he's an Uchiha doesn't mean he can have everything."

"I'm sorry, your reply was invalid. Please try again."

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"No, I'm just simply imitating a computer because it's an old hobby of mine."

Leaning into the back of his chair, Sasuke shuts his eyes and folds his arms over his chest in an effort to soothe his irritation. _If I knew they'd be like this, I wouldn't have bothered showing up today._

He could hear Kiba's attempting at picking a fight with Neji and failing to receive any real reaction out of the Huyga heir. There had been multiple occasions where Sasuke would chuckle a little as he heard or watched Kiba or Naruto react to everyone's cold shoulder. Though for the first time, Sasuke could not bring himself to react at any of their ridiculous antics as amusing as it was.

His mind and soul is somewhere else, lost in a universe that must have been continuously pulled back into ever since their entrance. Everything he wishes to do is not possible. For no matter how much he wanted to scream in frustration, disappear and release what is almost mistaken for anger into something, he cannot. As a child he had promised to follow everything and go against nothing. Yet here he was, in this universe that he had visited only a day ago after years of never being present.

Uchiha Sasuke knew that after his visit yesterday and today, it'd be unremitting. He'd come back again and again. He thought that there were only two options for his so called, escape and wait it out until the place slowly ate him away or he would choose to cut ties like before. But unlike last time, the choice would not just his own. It would be another's: Haruno Sakura. If she chooses to listen to his demand, he'd be out of there. He'd be free.

But he knew that despite the many times where he got what he wanted, this time it would be a game of chance and he had no control. If he tossed a coin, it would be up to fate to decide which side to land on. What Sasuke didn't know, however, was that not everything in life was black and white.

"Naruto, what makes you think Haruno-san will even give you the time of day?"

"Aw, come on Shikamaru! Have a little faith in my Uzumaki charm!"

"What charm?" Gaara quips sarcastically. Naruto narrows his eyes.

"What's that, Gaara? I dare you to come say that to my—!"

"Why must you be so aggravating?"

The blonde rolls his eyes and walks across the circle to the red head with arms crossed. "I swear, sometimes I wonder why I'm even—"

"Will you all just quit it," it didn't matter whether it was a request or a command, Uchiha Sasuke had began to walk towards the door. The group stares at the raven haired boy's back in confusion and wonder, one was about to open their mouth and say something but it was too late.

_Bang!_

He had already slammed the door on them.

"What's his problem?"

One by one, they looked at another.

"…Maybe he's PMS-ing again?"

Some nodded in agreement, others shrugged, but only one stared at the door with a worried expression.

.

.

.

"Take a seat."

The two girls entered the Student Council room. Sakura had never seen one like it. Back at her middle school, the room would be the same size like any room at the school with a long black board on one wall, cabinets and shelves on either side of the room, a few windows on the side, a desk in front of the black board, and tables put together to form a U-like shape facing the front desk.

Though this room was nothing like the one Sakura was used to. It was massive in itself. One side of the room was a lengthy bookshelf filled with folders, binders, and of course, books. There were windows along the wall opposite of it; below them were cabinets and a few boxes. One end of the room there was another door, which Sakura had assumed it was the storage room beside it was a table where a coffee machine, microwave sat besides the refrigerator.

Like her middle school, there was a board that covered an entire wall. In front of it was a desk that was made for the student council president. The centered of the room was two rows of desks. Each desk was covered with its own stacks of work and a laptop, on either side of the desk was a chair.

Overall, the place took her breath away. She moved to a desk in the front of the room and sat down, watching Ino search the shelves for something.

"Ino, are we even allowed in here?"

"Nope!"

And then the blonde laughed. Sakura's eyes widen.

"What? Then shouldn't we—"

"Relax, Sakura! We won't get in trouble… I think." Before Sakura could protest, Ino continued to examine the book case and said, "Besides, the president gave all the class representatives a spare key."

"But, why are we even—"

"Ah ha! Found it!"

Sakura looked at the blonde with a confused expression as she ran over to the desk and set down two binders. Both were three inches wide but one was navy blue while the other was black. The pink haired girl's eyes widen. "What is this?"

This only made Ino smile. She points at the black one and says, "This is one has a profile on every current second year at the Academy," her finger moves towards the navy blue one, "While this one, has every current first year." She nods her head and directs her finger at her very own picture.

"I'm not in here…am I?"

"And that's where you're wrong, Sakura."

"How would did they—wait! Is that even legal for the school's student council to have profiles on people? Shouldn't the office have all the information? Ino—hey! Why are you laughing again?"

Ino only covered her mouth as covered her laughter behind coughs. She waves her hand in front of her to Sakura and smiles before saying. "The Academy's… a bit different, I guess?" Sakura merely stares at the girl in front of her dumbfounded. "I," she takes a seat closes to her and sits down. "It's not like we have your social security number or anything. It's more of something to giggle about, you know? We have their name, a decent photo of them, a few key points like who their parents are, how much their worth, social stance, class stance, and a few fun facts. It's nothing major. 'Sides everyone knows about it…maybe."

"Ino!"

"I'm kidding, sheesh. Mostly everyone knows and most people aren't embarrassed by the information. If at anything, they're proud of it or could careless." Ino looks at the girl in front of her with soft eyes and grabs the navy blue binder off the table. "So, don't worry about anything." They stayed silent for a moment waiting for someone to say anything more.

"Fine, but you have to tell me why we're here."

Ino opens the binder and places it on the table in front of Sakura. Sakura's eyes fall onto a page reading: KONOHA HIGH SCHOOL: CLASS OF 2014 in bold black letters. She didn't notice Ino moving her chair closer to Sakura's until, she saw the blonde's hand move to turn the pages. "Truth be told, I love to go through all the pages and read who's page has changed a bit and who's hasn't. Though, that's not the reason I got this out. I could do that on my own time, you know?"

Sakura turns her head slightly to look at the blonde. _So then why…_

"You want to know why you're so famous around here, right?" Sakura only nodded. "I overheard some girls talking about you and I told them it wasn't like you knew anything about the people here. But of course, some girls just don't know when to use their head." Ino shakes her head again but does not move her eyes away from the pages.

"Anyways, that's besides the point. What I'm just saying is that you have done a few things that just don't involve the certain people you've talked to. And that's pretty much caught _some_ people's eyes. For instance, you're a first year that's made it into the best class in the grade: Class 1-A and an honor student. No one's heard or seen of the name Haruno before not because it's not common but…"

"Because I'm a commoner, right?"

Ino only nods. "Not that it's a bad thing but, some people are more quick to judge. And let's not forget, you kicked one of our year's members out of their 'rightful' classroom."

"Huh?"

"You know the system here don't you? The top thirty of each year is in the A classrooms. So…the person who was number thirty got moved down, and so did everyone else who scored lower than you." Ino stopped turning the pages and smiled down at the photo before her. "I'm sure you know who this is, right?"

Haruno Sakura turns her gaze from the blonde beside her and to the photo in front of her. While Sakura's emerald orbs were shock, the pair of eyes before her were bright.

And for that reason, she couldn't find it in herself to look away.

.

.

.

_...to be continued..._

.

.

**author's note: **& thank you all for your favorites and alerts for this story! (: Your reviews always make me smile, hehe. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't hate me for leaving you with a cliffhanger... again! (x Anyways please _reviews _and tell me what you thought of the story! Ja-ne~


End file.
